Dell Optiplex GX620 upgrades

[daveed12vas]

Hello,
I have a Dell Optiplex GX620 and I want to install a Radeon 4670 1GB graphics card. My concern is this... The 4670 graphics card claims to require a minimum of a 400 watt power supply, with a 550 watt power supply strongly recommended. My Dell Optiplex GX620 has a 305 watt power supply unit. Can and How do i upgrade this PC's power supply unit? Or Can I simply pop in the 4670 graphics card using my existing 305 watt power supply without having problems?

 

[Emerald]

usually the Dell PSUs are underrated.

does the PSU have PCIe power connector?

There is no way to guaranty that it will work but it is definitive worth a try.

 

[ace700]

The powersurply needs to be replaced. You will need a powersurply that is either a pce-e 2x6pin or 2x8 pin and atleast 500 wats to acturally power up the video card. If you try to use the powersurply that is included in the setup from dell you risk of damageing the hardware and causeing problems in the future.

 

[mavroxur]

The stock Dell Opti 620 power supply won't have a PCIe power connector. You will need to replace it. Is the Dell 620 in question a tower or a desktop form factor?

 

[UniqueName]

According to Dell's specs the Mini Tower will provide 75 watts to the x16 slot. All other chassis formats provide 25 watts only. If you're really worried try a Radeon 5570 which is essentially a 40nm version of the 4670 with similar performance but less power draw.

 

[1965ohio]

^+1

Most of the lower power cards don't have 6 pin connectors, like my HD5550. Try the card for a while. Make sure you don't have any system crashes, and check the power supply is too hot or not. If you have any sudden crashes or the system is too hot, then change the power supply.

 

[daveed12vas]

Dear Emerald, Ace, Mavroxur, and Unique, Thank you so much for responding. I am a computer novice, so forgive my ignorance. The Dell Optiplex GX620 I own is a mini tower computer style. I have two PCI card slots, one PCI Express X16 card slot, and one PCI Express X1 card slot. I am considering installing a new PSU of 500 watts or greater. The problem is finding a new PSU to fit my tower, with the correct motherboard connectors, and it needs to draw air from the back or underside and blow air out the back of the tower because my mini tower has the PSU located at the top of the case. -All of your compatible PSU ideas would be welcomed-
I guess i could just return the Radeon 4670 1GB card and get another graphics card that meets my current system requirements. I should have perhaps done that from the start. My mistake.
However, I would love it if someone would recommend a replacement PSU with higher wattage that fits my Dell Optiplex GX620. My current PSU measures: L=5.5in. X W=6.0in. X H=4.0in.
Again, thank you for your assistance and advice. Here are some Dell links describing my computer:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/opgx620/en/ug/A02/mtspecs0.htm#wp1133451
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/opgx620/en/ug/A02/mtabout0.htm#wp1051997

 

[1965ohio]

Dude, we are trying to tell you that the Radeon 4670 is only like 59W. If will work in your system. I don't know where you are reading it needs more power.

Check Anandtech total system power with that card... http://www.anandtech.com/show/2616/9

The recommendations of the card and real power usage are 2 different things.

I really doubt you will have any issues.

 

[1965ohio]

^+100 malmental

 

[1965ohio]

If you want to install a HD6870 or GTX470... then hell yeah, you need a new PSU.

 

[daveed12vas]

Dear Malmental and 1965Ohio, WOW! Thank you all so much. That is great news! I was about to order a new PSU or return the 4670 card. If you truly think my Optiplex can handle the card with my existing power supply, then I'm good to go.
But Mr. Malmental, everyone else says i need a new PSU. Are you really running all that hardware off a 305 watt PSU? It sounds too good to be true when everyone else says i NEED the upgrade. But I do believe you, and I'm going ahead and I am going to install the new card into my PCI x16 slot unless I hear otherwise. Thank you all!

 

[1965ohio]

I will have to agree with malmental on this. The only reason to get a new PSU is if it dies for some reason. The video card top limit is only about 59 watts. Even if your CPU is 95W, the board and drives are only looking to add another 35 watts to it. So say 60+100+40... that's like 200. And this is all over estimates. Also, most Dell power supplies list the continuous, not the max. They usually are underrated.

 

[daveed12vas]

Sorry Mr. Malmental and Mr. Ohio, I am not exactly computer savvy and I am humble before you. You two have given me awesome assistance and saved me about $100.00
Great advice, thanks again. I will install the new graphics card and get back to you guys.

 

[daveed12vas]

I'll be back after I install this baby. I opened the box, this card is SWEET! It's a Sapphire Radeon HD 4670 PCIE 2.0 1GB card. It's all sparkly and pretty. But first I have to go outside and shovel away the foot of snow. I will hopefully return with my success story or my system meltdown story. Or perhaps something more sinister will have occurred; maybe Richard Branson and Richard Dolan will fly over my house in their black triangle and HAARP ray my butt, leaving me with no memory of anything except for the Antmen...

 

[1965ohio]

It'll work. Don't worry. And even if your PSU was seriously stressed, the worst that will happen in a dead PSU, everything else will be fine. The only indication of a stressed CPU is if your computer bluescreens randomly or put your hand around the PSU and see if it has hot air coming off. Under load it will be a little warm anyways. You won't fry your motherboard or cause a portable nuclear core meltdown. Worst case is that you need a new PSU. So you are right back where you started when you started this thread. LOL!

 

[daveed12vas]

Well, I'm back and I successfully installed the new graphics card. One thing I need help with though...all of my desktop program icons are huge and web page screen fonts are huge. I can't see all my programs in my Start Button or see whats all on a web page. Can someone help me shrink to fit my fonts and stuff, please.

 

[daveed12vas]

Oh, okay. A quick restart set everything straight. Thank you all for your help throughout this graphics card installation. I couldn't have done it without all of your guidance. Thanks again. Now, what can I do with this GPU...find an online shooter game and go nuts or what?
PS If you guys at Toms wish to call this thread resolved you may. I am one satisfied newborn PC-gearhead. Thanks for everybody's help. Now, as they say in my country: It's Miller Time.

 

[1965ohio]

Up to you to clicked solved. Just watch your PC and make sure it doesn't bluescreen or run hotter than usual. If its cool and stable, no need to a new PSU!

Better click on malmental's post... click solved. LOL

 

[daveed12vas]

Someone might have to walk me through any end-thread procedures here, I'm new to this stuff. But if I need to fill out a survey that indicates your massive helpfulness I will.
I will be checking my unit often for extra heat, I have experienced no blue screen activity. And you saved me the costs of a new power supply unit too. This Dell Optiplex GX620 has been good to me, and this Sapphire Radeon HD 4670 1GB GPU was as easy as "plug and play" to install. I am a happy camper.

 

[1965ohio]

Look at the answer you liked the most, and you should see a button that says choose best answer. I'd say give this one to malmental all the way!

 

[daveed12vas]

Best answer selected by daveed12vas.

 

[daveed12vas]

Why just yesterday my PC had to pause while the Black-Ops game web page transferred information and loaded data to stream its content...with this new Radeon 4760 GPU the web page just instantly loads and runs its course. I am very pleased so far. As I assume this new boost in speed is accountable to the card itself. Is this the case?

 

[daveed12vas]

Well, thanks again Malmental, So tell me this...will this new graphics card help me stream live television news broadcasts and such or is the GPU more just a gaming graphics accelerator? I use my Dell PC to stream local news in the mornings with coffee before work and some times the data transfer and page load-up is slow or simply stops; will this GPU help in that area too? If not, what recommendations do you have to remedy this? -I already use the 4GB maximum of RAM memory-

 

[daveed12vas]

My PC's motherboard has four ram memory slots which hold four 1GB memory sticks, so I have 4GB ram memory total. Which I'm told is all this Dell Optiplex GX620 can run. -according to the Dell manual and Crucial.com- I bought the RAM memory in kits. -two 2x1GB kits-
Tell me something about these TV tuner cards, what the heck are they? They sound cool as...they sound cool. What are they? Why do I want one? Which one do I want for my PC?

 

[daveed12vas]

Oh, okay. I understand. I wish I knew that before I bought four 1 GB sticks. I'll look into two 2GB sticks and run them in the proper dual channels on my motherboard as soon as possible. Excellent tip Malmental, I had no clue.

I have an old big screen tv. I want to use my tv as my computer monitor. Is this possible with my old tv? Its a GE VideoPlus GemStar. The tv has one yellow video input, two sets of red and white audio-in & audio-out inputs, one S-video port. and one coaxial cable port.
With this criteria, can you aid me in finding the correct wires and adapters necessary to connect my Dell PC to my regular TV? Thanks.